Ben Watson: Derek Bailey and the Story of Free Improvisation

"When somebody says they would rather work in a factory than play music that they don't like or don't believe in, the answer's obvious. It means they've never worked in a factory."

Improvisation is revealed as the kernel of the revolutionary idea: when we have nothing to lose and nothing to hide, the future can be improvised.

The musicians played like lovers stunned by each other’s presence.

The best improvisers are not merely leaders or followers—they are both.

“There’s a certain sound, for instance, which is produced by a saxophone when his soul is being stirred, which freezes me to the balls.”